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FEMA announced in Mar. 2023 that it will make grant funds available to communities for low-carbon materials used in disaster recovery and climate resilience projects. States, tribes, territories and local communities will now have more access to cleaner building materials through eligible FEMA programs to rebuild from disasters or become more resilient to climate change.
Under FEMA’s new guidance, states, tribes, territories and local governments will be able to use federal funding to cover costs for certain construction materials – concrete, asphalt, glass and steel – that have a lower carbon footprint compared to conventional materials. Eligible FEMA programs include Public Assistance, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). The guidance applies for disasters declared at least 60 days after release of the guidance for Public Assistance and HMGP. Applications submitted for BRIC can apply for project funding that includes low-carbon materials during the fiscal year 2023 application process. FEMA is developing additional guidance to expand and implement incentives for low-carbon projects and net-zero emissions projects that will help communities build back stronger. For more information visit Building a Clean, Climate-Resilient Economy through FEMA’s Grant Programs | FEMA.gov.
Nature-based solutions are sustainable planning, design, environmental management and engineering practices that weave natural features or processes into the built environment to promote adaptation and resilience. They offer significant benefits often at a lower cost than more traditional infrastructure. To advance nature-based solutions, FEMA created the Building Community Resilience with Nature-Based Solutions Series.
The first guide, “A Guide for Local Communities,” provides foundational information on the benefits associated with using nature-based solutions to advance natural hazard mitigation and climate adaptation. The newest guide, “Strategies for Success,” builds upon the first and highlights five key strategies for implementing successful nature-based solution projects to advance natural hazard mitigation and climate adaptation.
Using the guides as a foundation, FEMA partnered with the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center and is excited to announce the availability of an agency-certified Nature-Based Solutions for Mitigating Hazards training.
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FEMA is seeking public feedback from partners, stakeholders, and the general public on the Achieving Equitable Recovery: A Post Disaster Guide for Local Officials (“Equity Guide”), developed by the Community Assistance Branch, Interagency Coordination Division, Recovery Directorate.
The goal of the Equity Guide is to help local officials incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in their post disaster recovery management work. Successful disaster recovery requires the whole community to rebuild in a thoughtful, equitable, and resilient manner. This guide supports local officials in their efforts to build equity into the recovery process by establishing more diverse partnerships, conducting inclusive strategic public engagement, identifying needs of the whole community, leveraging mitigation opportunities, and developing new partnerships to help leverage funding opportunities. The Equity Guide helps community leaders identify and address barriers historically found throughout the disaster recovery process by providing advice, checklists, toolkits, case studies, and community examples on how to incorporate equity through the recovery management process and how to work towards achieving equitable outcomes.
To provide comments or recommendations to the draft equity guide, use the comment matrix and email FEMA-CA-RSF@fema.dhs.gov by May 11, 2023.
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FEMA is spearheading an effort to create guidance and resources for the whole community to help everyone understand and fulfil their critical roles related to increasing national resilience. These resources will promote a common understanding of resilience, incorporate the relationship between stressors and shocks, address the critical roles of all stakeholders, and inspire fresh, forward-looking, and people-centered planning approaches to move the needle on increasing community and national resilience.
FEMA is seeking to engage a broad range of stakeholders to inform development of resilience guidance and resources. FEMA wants input from across the whole community—across disciplines, sectors, levels of government, communities, and individuals—on a range of topics, such as what actions and partnerships are needed to increase national resilience, the roles and responsibilities of whole community stakeholders, innovative approaches for successful resilience planning, and the resources needed to help the whole community understand and execute their roles.
FEMA is hosting a series of 60-minute listening sessions to gather input from across the whole community to inform the development of actionable resilience guidance and resources. Please join the discussion and share this invitation with others. These sessions will include facilitated discussions with a range of stakeholders. Advance registration is required and on a first-come, first-served basis. If you require assistive accommodations to participate in these sessions, please email national-resilience@fema.dhs.gov.
 In Apr. 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of 17 Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy that will receive $177 million to help underserved and overburdened communities across the country.
Each of the technical assistance centers will receive at least $10 million to remove barriers and improve accessibility for communities with environmental justice concerns. With this critical investment, these centers will provide training and other assistance to build capacity for navigating federal grant application systems, writing strong grant proposals, and effectively managing grant funding. In addition, these centers will provide guidance on community engagement, meeting facilitation, and translation and interpretation services for limited English-speaking participants, thus removing barriers and improving accessibility for communities with environmental justice concerns. Each of the technical assistance centers will also create and manage communication channels to ensure all communities have direct access to resources and information.
Learn more about the selectees, their partners, and the EJ TCTAC program at this link.
EPA launched a new webpage that shares the latest information on each state’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is the single-largest investment in water infrastructure in U.S. history, providing $50 billion for essential water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure upgrades. The majority of this funding, approximately 85 percent, flows through the State Revolving Funds.
The State Revolving Funds (SRFs) have been the successful foundation of water infrastructure investments, with states, Tribes, and territories working to steward more than $200 billion in SRF funds since 1988. That is why the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocates most of these water infrastructure dollars—$43 billion—through the Clean Water and Drinking Water SRFs. Distributing this investment through the SRFs allows states maximum flexibility to be creative and responsive to their communities' specific needs and challenges.
To procure Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, each state must publish an Intended Use Plan and then apply for funding. Each state can access five different BIL funding streams: Clean Water SRF General Supplemental funding, Clean Water SRF Emerging Contaminants funding, Drinking Water SRF General Supplemental funding, Drinking Water SRF Emerging Contaminants funding, and Drinking Water SRF Lead Service Line Replacement funding. Check out our new webpage to learn more about your state’s funding status.
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Using this Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA) Request Form, communities can request no-cost direct WaterTA to evaluate their drinking water, wastewater, stormwater infrastructure, and water quality improvement needs.
After submitting the WaterTA Request Form, EPA will review requests and, as appropriate and contingent on available resources, connect communities in need with potential TA providers. EPA will coordinate with states, tribes, territories and other federal agencies as appropriate when responding to requests. Click here for more information.
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The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is now accepting applications through the FY2023 Disaster Supplemental Funding Notice of Funding Opportunity. The awards are designed to support those regions impacted by Hurricanes Ian and Fiona, wildfires, flooding and other natural disasters (2021-2022). This does not include COVID-19 disasters.
The awards made under this NOFO are designed to address economic challenges in those areas where a Presidential declaration of a major disaster has been issued. Funding will help communities devise and implement long-term economic recovery strategies through a variety of construction and non-construction projects. Eligible applicants include Tribal nations, non-profit organizations, colleges and universities, district organizations of an Economic Development District (EDD), and state, county or city subdivisions engaged in economic or infrastructure activities. Individuals and for-profit entities are not eligible for funding under this NOFO. For more information, visit EDA's Disaster Recovery Program.
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In Jan. 2023, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) reached a historic milestone with three additional regional organizations designated as Economic Development Districts (EDD). With these additions, there are now 400 such organizations across the country, leading locally-driven economic development planning, technical assistance, strategies and coordination. Economic Development Administration (EDA) reached a historic milestone with three additional regional organizations designated as Economic Development Districts (EDD). With these additions, there are now 400 such organizations across the country, leading locally-driven economic development planning, technical assistance, strategies and coordination.
The Commonwealth Regional Council (CRC) in Virginia is one of the three new EDDs. CRC represents five counties in Central Virginia’s Heartland Region. This area has a long agricultural history with ties to the James River. Today, they have focused on two specialized clusters, wood products and forestry, while branching out into other areas as well, including, education, manufacturing, and healthcare services. CRC is well positioned to facilitate economic improvement through technical and program assistance, grant assistance, planning, and GIS services. Read more about the other new EDDs and EDDs in action at this link.
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Heat-related illnesses and death are largely preventable with proper planning, education, and action. Heat.gov serves as the premier source of heat and health information for the nation to reduce the health, economic, and infrastructural impacts of extreme heat.
Heat.gov is the web portal for the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS). Created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and CDC, NIHHIS builds societal understanding of heat risks, develops science-based solutions, improves capacity, communication, and decision-making to reduce heat-related illness and death.
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In Aug. 2022, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Volpe Center released the first public version of the Resilience and Disaster Recovery (RDR) Tool Suite (V. 2022.1), which enables transportation planners to calculate the return on investment (ROI) for transportation infrastructure resilience projects across a range of uncertain hazard scenarios. The Resilience and Disaster Recovery (RDR) Tool Suite was developed by the Volpe Center in support of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R).
State and federal agencies need to determine which assets will provide the best ROI when considering transportation infrastructure resilience. The RDR Tool Suite will provide transportation agencies with the tools necessary to evaluate the ROI provided by a set of resilience investments across a range of transportation assets and uncertain future hazard conditions, and for ranking those projects based on performance. Reducing transportation infrastructure vulnerability advances USDOT’s goals of enhancing resilience and addressing climate change.
Join the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Freight Management and Operations for its upcoming May 9, 2023, 1-2 p.m. Talking Freight series in which the RDR Tool Suite will be presented, along with other freight planning tools (Register here). The Talking Freight series provides technical assistance, training, tools, and information to help the freight and planning workforce meet the transportation challenges of tomorrow. Register at this link.
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On April 7, 2023, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced $21.15 million in cooperative agreements with four Capacity Builders through the first round of funding for the Thriving Communities Program. The awarded Capacity Builders will support a total of 64 communities in 42 states, including 6 Tribal Nations, and Puerto Rico. This planning, technical assistance, and capacity building support will enable disadvantaged and under-resourced communities to advance a pipeline of transformative infrastructure projects that will increase mobility, reduce pollution, and expand affordable transportation options, connecting communities to the essential opportunities and resources that will help them thrive. Learn more about all of the selected communities, their partners, and projects, in the Thriving Communities Program FY 2022 Selected Communities Fact Sheet. Learn more about the selected Capacity Builder teams in the Thriving Communities Program FY 2022 Selected Capacity Builders Fact Sheet.
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Thriving Communities Program opportunity for Capacity Builders and communities is expected to open in summer 2023. USDOT will update the Thriving Communities Program website with more information when it becomes available. The program website includes suggestions to prepare for the FY2023 program for communities and technical assistance providers. Click here to receive updates about upcoming Thriving Communities Program opportunities and other technical assistance and funding opportunities across USDOT.
The DOT Navigator is a new resource to help communities understand the best ways to apply for grants, and to plan for and deliver transformative infrastructure projects and services. The site will evolve over time. Its pages provide general information to develop grant applications and understand frequently required documents, contacts to DOT regional and field offices, and a searchable menu of technical assistance resources available to help new and repeat grantees to realize their communities’ vision for moving goods and people safely, efficiently, sustainable, and equitably. |
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The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is committed to creating equitable pathways into these jobs for all communities so that no one is left behind. In 2022, DOL launched the Good Jobs Initiative, which is delivering on that promise by helping federal partners embed job quality and equity incentives in more than $97 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds. In Mar. 2023, DOL released the Good Jobs in Federal Investments: A Toolkit for Employers, Workers, and Government, which builds on these efforts and the lessons learned. The toolkit is intended to assist federal agencies, state, tribal and local governments, employers, and labor and worker advocacy organizations unleash their power to improve job quality and equity. It provides information on DOL’s Good Jobs Initiative, delineates basic elements of a good job, identifies actions that employers, workers, and government can take to support job quality, and outlines a framework for leveraging federal funding to support equity and job quality.
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In association with Earth Week in Apr. 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) released new tools to accelerate health sector investments in resilience and emissions reduction that will help protect people living in the U.S. from the growing health threats associated with climate change.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides billions of dollars in grants, loan programs, and tax credits that can help transform the health industry by funding resilient and renewable infrastructure. The Quickfinder for Leveraging the IRA for the Health Sector identifies and explains how the health sector can use IRA programs and incentives to advance climate action. Many of these investments have the potential to improve care, increase preparedness, and reduce costs through investments in renewable energy, including building efficient and resilient infrastructure that can better handle climate-related threats to operations.
The Quickfinder is part of OCCHE’s Health Sector Resource Hub Health Sector Resource Hub, a central location featuring supports for health sector sustainability and climate preparedness from across the government. Those supports include another new resource: Guidance for the Health Sector on using the Environmental Protection Agency’s free benchmarking tool ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager. The guidance explores how different providers and suppliers might use Portfolio Manager to track building-related energy and greenhouse gas emissions, starting with basics like how facilities can identify their appropriate property type.
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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released new resources on its HUD Exchange platform. The following is a list of some of the resources that may be of interest to those in the recovery and resilience field.
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Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Resource Page - The Thriving Communities Technical Assistance (TCTA) program, funded in FY22 with $5 million, is designed to support coordination and integration of transportation and housing in infrastructure planning and implementation. HUD’s program does not have a deadline. Requests can be submitted at any time. Selections will depend in part on the capacity of the TA providers and the needs of the local governments. There is a “rolling” process in which requests are reviewed as they are received (beginning after Mar. 15, 2023), needs are identified, and capacity is evaluated.
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Economic Recovery and Resilience Toolkit - The Economic Recovery and Resilience toolkit can be used to plan for a more equitable future and implement high-impact development activities to address local economic priorities using HUD funding and other financing opportunities.
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Increasing the Supply of New Affordable Housing: A Primer - This Primer is a resource for staff or members of State and local governments who are looking to be involved in affordable housing development and implementation in their communities, or those who want to partner with municipalities to explore affordable housing development options and want to explore promising strategies jurisdictions may use to address the affordability gap for low-income residents.
Explore HUD Exchange for additional resources, information about HUD programs and policies, trainings, program support, grantee data and profiles, and news.
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American Institutions of Higher Education are essential to vitality, sustainability, and progress in our communities. These schools – which include Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Minority-Serving Institutions, community colleges, institutes of technology, and vocational-technical schools – understand their local communities’ needs. Most are located close to where their students live and work, and many are in rural areas. This presents U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development (USDA-RD) a unique opportunity to partner with – and support – these valuable institutions. USDA-RD's Innovation Center published a new guide, USDA Rural Development Institutions of Higher Education Funding and Resource Guide, to help rural colleges and universities find low-interest loans and grants to build or improve their facilities, infrastructure, equipment and educational programs.
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Smart cities may create safer, more efficient, resilient communities through technological innovation and data-driven decision making. However, this opportunity also introduces potential vulnerabilities and weaknesses that—if exploited—could impact national security, economic security, public health and safety, and critical infrastructure operations.
In Apr. 2023, CISA, the National Security Agency (NSA), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), United Kingdom National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-UK), the Australian Cybersecurity Centre (ACSC), the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS), and the New Zealand National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-NZ) released a joint guide: Cybersecurity Best Practices for Smart Cities. This best practices guidance provides an overview of risks to smart cities including expanded and interconnected attack surfaces; information and communications technologies (ICT) supply chain risks; and increasing automation of infrastructure operations. To protect against these risks, the government partners offer three recommendations to help communities strengthen their cyber posture: secure planning and design, proactive supply chain risk management, and operational resilience.
CISA encourages organizations implement these best practices in alignment with their specific cybersecurity requirements to ensure the safe and secure operation of infrastructure systems, protection of citizen’s private data, and security of sensitive government and business data.
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The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission (LVPC) received a $1 million award to help complete work on its regional climate plan. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said that the LVPC, along with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), received grants as part of the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program. Like LVPC, DVRPC and SPC also received $1 million, while Pennsylvania received a $3 million planning grant through the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program.
LVPC Executive Director Becky Bradley said the money will be used to complete work on the Regional Climate Action Plan. Items in the plan include a regional green infrastructure program supporting clean water, flood mitigation, installation of air quality monitoring systems, electric vehicle charging stations, as well as advancing walking and biking.
Flood Resiliency Week in West Virginia
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice proclaimed the week of March 6-10 as Flood Resiliency Week in the state. The weeklong recognition was highlighted by the state’s first flood resiliency day at the state Capitol featuring information from FEMA and other state, federal and non-government agencies.
“’Flood Resiliency Week’ creates a mechanism to encourage every resident of West Virginia to prepare their homes, families, businesses, and communities for flood…” the proclamation notes. The week highlighted steps residents and businesses could improve their flood awareness by:
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Knowing your risk – Use West Virginia’s Flood Tool to find your risk.
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Planning ahead – Talk to your agent about flood insurance. Build an emergency kit and make a plan that considers all types of flooding and associated risks.
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Taking action – Look for ways to mitigate the impact of flooding to your home. Help neighbors and others do the same.
Other agencies participating in Flood Resiliency Week and Flood Resiliency Day at the Capitol were: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Weather Service, U.S. Geological Service, State Resiliency Office, West Virginia Emergency Management Division, and West Virginia Conservation Agency. Non-government organizations participating were West Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster and West Virginia Ready.
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West Virginia State Resiliency Office (SRO) Law Update
The West Virginia Legislature passed a measure that clarifies the State Resiliency Office’s role in disaster planning and recovery, as well as create recovery trust funds that would prioritize nature-based flood protection and prevention solutions for low-income areas of the state.
Although the SRO legislation calls for providing $10 million to a Disaster Recovery Trust Fund for various flood-related activities, no funding was provided in the recently approved Fiscal Year 2024 state budget. The bill also requires up to 25 percent of the state’s Community Development Block Grant disaster recovery funds be dedicated to a Flood Resiliency Trust Fund for flood resiliency and implementation. The SRO would oversee both funds.
The SRO also is required to develop a flood resiliency plan by June 30, 2024, then provide regular updates. West Virginia’s Resiliency Office was created in 2017 in the aftermath of the state’s devastating 2016 floods that killed 23. The legislation was developed with the help of Pew Charitable Trusts. The measure was sent to Gov. Jim Justice for signature.
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by Wynne Kwan, Community Planning & Capacity Building Coordinator, FEMA Region 3
Greetings Recovery partners!
Here we are already, at the end of April! The month has flown by! Earlier in the month, I attended the 2023 National Planning Conference here in Philadelphia. It was exhilarating to hear about some of the work being done across the country (and internationally) in the planning sphere.
As a planner, one of the more interesting sessions I attended was the one on the 2023 Trend Report for Planners, which lists over 100 existing, emerging, and potential future trends, structured within three timeframes (Act Now, Prepare, Learn and Watch), that the American Planning Association (APA) Foresight team identified as relevant to planning (see the picture inset). I'll definitely be keeping my eye on outer space. Is this the next frontier as the Earth's resources are slowly depleted? It's definitely an interesting, as well as complex, issue with many implications for all part of our society and communities. Anyway, back to earth and the present.
This year's conference touched upon a variety of core topics, including climate emergency; transportation diversification; health equity and nature; housing affordability, availability, and accessibility; federal programs and grants implementation; and population diversity and inclusive design - all topics relevant in the disaster recovery sphere. As the 2023 Hurricane Season nears (just about a month from now), I'll be capturing the best practices presented at the conference and seeing how they can be applied to recovery. However, I'm hoping that it'll be a quiet season, but will still prepare nonetheless.
As always, feel free to reach out - either directly or to the Region 3 NDRF mailbox (FEMA-R3-NDRF@fema.dhs.gov). In the meantime, take care!
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 In Jan. 2023, the National League of Cities (NLC) and the American Planning Association (APA) have launched the Housing Supply Accelerator, a national campaign to advance and incentivize local approaches to land use, zoning and housing development and preservation. The campaign will focus on improving efforts locally to address housing needs and housing production goals, including local government and private-sector capacity, identifying critical solutions, and encouraging systemic changes that enable local elected officials and developers to work together.
APA and NLC will convene local government officials, community planners, builders, financial institutions, housing policy associations as well as state and federal partners to develop, align, and advance locally driven housing supply solutions. This solutions-oriented campaign will provide model practices, ordinances and actionable resources to help local communities address their unique housing challenges. These efforts will be designed for immediate implementation by local leaders, planners and others working to combat the housing crisis.
The nation is short 3.79 million housing units due in part to exclusionary regulations that disproportionately harm disadvantaged and vulnerable communities. Planners have the data-driven insights, understanding of broad community impact, and long-term perspective to help decision makers and communities avoid unfair outcomes in all parts of the zoning process and create more diverse housing options in places where they are needed most.
The American Planning Association (APA)'s Equity in Zoning Policy Guide positions planners to lead the way on zoning changes at the local, state, and federal level. The guide prioritizes reversing and alleviating the disproportionate impacts of zoning through 3 aspects of zoning: rules, people, and mapping. The Equity in Zoning Policy Guide also provides community planners with solutions that allow communities to boost housing supply, production, and fairness. Download the guide at this link.
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In Mar. 2023, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) released the report, Reshaping the City: Zoning for a More Equitable, Resilient, and Sustainable Future, which details how updating zoning regulations can create more livable and equitable places by increasing housing attainability, reducing carbon emissions, promoting social equity, and improving community health. When done right, these updates also hold potential to streamline the development process and expand opportunity for small-scale developers.
The report is categorized into five distinct zoning approaches:
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Comprehensive overhauls: Creation of new zoning policies to replace previous codes.
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By-right zoning: Allows projects that comply with certain zoning standards to obtain approvals and building permits through relatively simple administrative processes.
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Overlays: Special districts that include additional standards and criteria to the zoning code, either to protect existing community features or encourage new types of development.
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Floating zones: Districts that delineate conditions that must be met before the area is approved for a given set of zoning rules.
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Zoning incentives: Tools that encourage developers to provide certain public benefits by offsetting the costs they would normally incur.
Case studies highlight how cities and towns across the United States are using zoning tools already familiar to many cities to align policies around key livability and equity goals. Approaches discussed in the report rely on successful coordination among local government leaders, community members, real estate developers, and other stakeholders. Read the full report at this link.
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Researchers and emergency managers have long used the disaster cycle as a conceptual tool to organize activities associated with each overlapping phase of a disaster. The Disaster Cycle Special Collection of Research Counts includes articles focused on the preparedness, emergency response, impacts, recovery, mitigation, and resilience phases of the disaster cycle. The goal of the collection is to summarize key findings from recently published scientific research for a broader audience to ensure that this important research makes a difference in reducing disaster risk.
Preparedness
Emergency Response
Impacts
Recovery
Mitigation and Resilience
Research Counts series serves as a platform for hazards and disaster scholars to provide insights about research findings and the enduring lessons of disaster, as well as to raise new questions that are worthy of exploration. Research Counts articles are intended for a broad audience of emergency managers, public health practitioners, policy makers, journalists, and others interested in the causes and consequences of disaster.
In Apr. 2023, the Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society, in partnership with the North Valley Community Foundation (CA) and Wells Fargo, released the Small Business Recovery to Resilience Guide. the Guide provides science-informed tools to support small business communities move from “recovery to resilience” in preparation for the next fire season. This Guide was created to be used by those in community leadership positions to support the building of resilience of their small businesses in California. The Guide lays out four key areas of work:
- Collecting and using data and science to craft plans;
- Developing and deploying a “small business communication and education plan”
- Adopting pre-disaster policies in support of small business resilience; and
- Building the right relationships and increasing social capital with the local small businesses
These sections contain more than 50 tactics and approaches to increase the resiliency of communities. While this Guide focuses on wildfire risks in California, the applied tactics and the connections developed will help communities build resilience to any disaster they might face. The improved communication and stronger ties between community organizations and businesses will yield benefits in times without disasters, as well. Access the guide here.
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In the Apr. 2023 report, Urban Land Use Reform: The Missing Key to Climate Action, RMI (formerly the Rocky Mountain Institute) analyzed the potential for land use reforms to achieve significant emissions reductions, focusing on three fast-growing US metropolitan areas: Austin, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Denver, Colorado. RMI analysis found that land use reforms can reduce vehicle miles traveled by up to 13 percent, building energy use by up to 16 percent, and local greenhouse gas emissions by up to 14 percent averaged across these metropolitan regions, relative to business-as-usual patterns of development.
The suggested land use reforms modeled in this report include measures such as upzoning (removing restrictions on multifamily housing), urban infill (building more housing on underutilized land parcels), and transit-oriented development (building taller residential buildings and commercial clusters close to high-quality transit). Changing outdated, car-centric, and exclusionary urban land use policies will bring far-reaching economic, social, and environmental benefits. It represents a missing and often overlooked key to addressing the intersecting housing, cost-of-living, and environmental crises. We cannot afford to wait to change how we develop our cities. Read the full report here.
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In Apr. 2023, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies) launched Climate Crossroads, a major new initiative to help the nation meet the challenges of climate change. The new Climate Crossroads initiative will serve as a nexus point within the National Academies, allowing the organization to chart new pathways for sustained national and global leadership over the coming decades. Climate Crossroads will leverage the disciplinary breadth of the organization, provide space to be responsive to new challenges, and expand the impact of the Academies’ work to a more diverse range of stakeholders and decision-makers including by developing new ways to work with underrepresented communities. The work of the Climate Crossroads will kick off at a major convening on July 11 and 12 at the National Academy of Sciences building in Washington, D.C. Visit the website to learn more, and sign up for email updates.
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As part of an effort to help cities identify federal funding for municipal sustainability and climate action, the National League of Cities (NLC) developed the Federal Funding Sources for Municipal Sustainability Tool to help local leaders identify federal funding sources that meet the range of needs cities have when seeking to address sustainability at the local level. Regardless of the source or specifications, information about many of the most significant federal funding streams available to local governments for addressing climate and sustainability has been compiled in the tool. The Federal Funding Sources for Municipal Sustainability Tool offers a searchable list of federal grant programs designated for infrastructure and programs to address climate change mitigation, resiliency, waste reduction, air quality, ecosystem restoration and other sustainability efforts.
The NLC also developed a fact sheet that is designed to provide municipalities with basic information on available grants. NLC also has a more in-depth list of infrastructure funding opportunities in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,
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 The National League of Cities (NLC) has created a tool to assist local governments in mitigating the urban heat island effect in their own community by visualizing which bus stops should be prioritized. NLC focuses on bus stops and their corresponding heat wave risk to help address heat inequity, as vulnerable populations are more likely to take public transportation and live in areas with above national average heat wave risk. Tree canopy data is layered with the heat wave risk to show the relationship between these two variables in corresponding scatterplots. More information about the tool, in addition to heat island effect solutions and funding, is available at this link.
 In Oct. 2022, Just Transition Fund (JTF), the only national philanthropic initiative focused solely on coal community economic transition, launched its new Federal Access Center (“The Center”), a one-stop resource hub that will build on JTF’s track record of helping coal communities secure public funding for local economic solutions. The Center will support community organizations seeking federal grants to advance projects related to economic and workforce development, economic diversification, and broadband access and affordability that are essential for creating an equitable, inclusive, and low-carbon future.
The Federal Access Center expands JTF’s existing grantmaking and technical assistance programs that help coal communities access federal funds by assisting them with competitive, complex funding applications. The Center offers direct grants to support a range of costs associated with developing applications, including subcontracting grantwriters and other expert capacity, organizing community partnerships, and meeting matching funds requirements. The Center also provides technical assistance from the JTF’s team of experts to help organizations identify funding programs, understand application requirements, build relationships with agency contacts, and see proposals through the final submission stage. In addition, the Center offers a limited number of grants and technical assistance for early-stage planning projects that have a long-term goal of leveraging federal funding.
As with all of JTF’s programs, the Federal Access Center seeks to support communities that are economically hardest hit by the transition away from coal and have the highest concentrations of historically marginalized populations. In these communities, from Appalachia to the Navajo Nation, JTF prioritizes support for efforts that serve low-wage workers, women, and Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides billions for investments in active and public transportation infrastructure that helps Americans get where they need and want to go without having to rely on a personal vehicle. America Walks, the League of American Bicyclists, and the Safe Routes Partnership, supported in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have formed the Intersections Initiative, a resource to connect communities with the funding they need to build streets that work for everyone. This effort is part of Active People, Healthy NationSM, a national initiative led by the CDC, to help build capacity to apply for infrastructure funding to support active and public transportation projects and identify the policies and practices that make the goal of helping 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027. Check out this recorded webinar for additional information and resources.
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New Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program and Policy Guide (HMA Guide)
EMA released new program guidance for the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program and Policy Guide (HMA Guide). The HMA Guide provides helpful information for prospective applicants and subapplicants from state, local, tribal and territorial governments on the application and grant processes for four hazard mitigation grant programs.
The 2023 HMA Guide update incorporates existing policies and guidance materials issued since 2015, simplifies and clarifies guidance, and incorporates strategic mitigation priorities. These revisions aim to create a document that is easier to navigate and use. These updates and new HMA Guide replace the 2015 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Guidance and Addendums.
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2023 Hazard Mitigation Partners Workshop Call for Abstracts
FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Division is opening a Call for Abstracts for the annual Hazard Mitigation (HM) Partners Workshop. The Call for Abstracts period runs from Monday, April 10, to Monday, May 15. The 2023 HM Partners Workshop will be held from Oct. 16-19, 2023. This year's theme is "All Together for Climate Resilience Communities: Equity, Partnerships, Capability and Capacity." Click here to learn more.
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Creating Co-Benefits through Hazard Mitigation Planning and Water Resource Management
EPA's Watershed Academy has a new hazard mitigation learning module: Creating Co-Benefits through Hazard Mitigation Planning and Water Resource Management. This module is intended for water quality and hazard mitigation professionals that are interested in integrating water quality issues and/or nature-based solutions into state or local Hazard Mitigation Plans (HMPs) and highlights the benefits of working across water quality and hazard mitigation programs. Modules in this series can be used as training tools to help planners from both worlds explore activities of mutual interest and benefit. Case studies and examples are provided to assist hazard mitigation planners with integrating water resource programs into HMPs and help watershed planners understand the synergies between water resource plans and HMPs.
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Upcoming FEMA Region 3 Coffee Break Webinars
FEMA Region 3 is hosting a webinar series for hazard mitigation planners and other partners interested in reducing risk in their communities. These “Coffee Breaks” are hour-long webinar sessions hosted every other month to provide mitigation best practices and highlight the work happening at federal, regional, state, and community levels to reduce risk across the region. Click here to register for any or all of the following upcoming FEMA Region 3 Coffee Break Mitigation Webinars:
- Refining Your Hazard Mitigation Plan's Scope of Work. May 17, 2023, 11 a.m.- 12 p.m.
- Preparing for Climate Change Impacts. July 19, 2023, 11 a.m.- 12 p.m.
- Exploring the Hazard Mitigation Planning Process. Sept. 20, 2023, 11 a.m.- 12 p.m.
- Conducting a Risk Assessment. Nov. 8, 2023, 11 a.m.- 12 p.m.
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Building a Successful Acquisition Application. May 4, 2023, 2:30-4 p.m. This webinar will answer what makes a good acquisition application and use FEMA’s example application template to describe the subapplication requirements.
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Building a Successful Flood Risk Reduction Application. May 11, 2023, 2:30-4 p.m. This webinar will answer what makes a good flood risk reduction application and use FEMA’s example application template to describe the subapplication requirements.
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Building a Successful Planning Application. May 18, 2023, 2:30-4 p.m. This webinar will answer what makes a good planning application and provide guidance as to where information and resources can be found related to planning grants.
FEMA Resource Reports and Advisories
Federal Agency Funding Opportunities Lists/Resources
Funding Opportunities Opening Soon!
- Open and Upcoming Infrastructure Funding Opportunities (as of Feb. 6, 2023)
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Regional Infrastructure Accelerators Program. $24 million in funding will be available through a Notice of Funding Opportunity expected to be issued spring 2023.
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Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) created the Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program, which makes $10 million available over five years to provide states, local governments, and tribal governments with grants to support project development leading to future applications to DOT credit or grant programs. The grants can support legal, technical, and financial advisors to help them advance infrastructure projects.
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FY2023 Thriving Communities Program. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Thriving Communities Program opportunity for Capacity Builders and communities is expected to open in summer 2023.
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Renew America's Nonprofits Grant Program. Grant funds from this program will support the installation of materials to reduce energy or fuel use in buildings owned and operated by 501(c)(3) nonprofits, decreasing utility costs, reducing carbon emissions, and redirecting savings toward mission-critical services. The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is anticipated to be released in May 2023.
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Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs). The Tech Hubs program is an economic development initiative to drive technology- and innovation-centric growth that leverages existing R&D strengths and technology demonstration and deployment capacities (public and private) within a region to catalyze the creation of good jobs for American workers at all skill levels equitably and inclusively. The Economic Development Administration (EDA) share an expanded fact sheet for the Tech Hubs program to help those interested in applying for the upcoming funding opportunity, the fact sheet outlines applicant eligibility requirements, timelines, and other program details.
The GrantStation Insider is filled with the latest national and regional grant opportunities, as well as upcoming federal deadlines that will assist the serious grant-seeker. This newsletter is delivered each week on Thursday. Click here to subscribe.
The Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) funds projects that develop, coordinate and expand direct producer-to-consumer markets to help increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products by developing, coordinating, expanding, and providing outreach, training, and technical assistance to domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agritourism activities, online sales or other direct producer-to-consumer (including direct producer-to-retail, direct producer-to-restaurant and direct producer-to-institutional marketing) market opportunities. Application Deadline: May 2, 2023.
The Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) funds projects that develop, coordinate and expand local and regional food business enterprises that engage as intermediaries in indirect producer to consumer marketing to help increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. Grants can be used for the planning stages of establishing or expanding a local and regional food business enterprise or to improve or expand a food business that supports locally and regionally produced agricultural products and food system infrastructure by performing feasibility studies, market research, training and technical assistance for the business enterprise and/or for producers working with the business enterprise. Application Deadline: May 2, 2023.
The GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program presents the opportunity to bring together stakeholders from various parts of the food and healthcare systems to foster understanding of how they might improve the health and nutrition status of participating households. Application Deadline: May 4, 2023.
The Yield Giving Open Call is a $250 million open call focused on elevating organizations working with people and in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States: communities, individuals, and families with access to the fewest foundational resources and opportunities. This initiative will award unrestricted gifts of $1 million each to 250 organizations. This Open Call seeks community-led, community-focused organizations whose explicit purpose is to advance the voices and opportunities of individuals and families of meager or modest means, and groups who have met with discrimination and other systemic obstacles. Application Deadline: Registration by May 5, 2023; Complete Applications due by June 12, 2023.
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS) will solicit applications to award approximately $1.5 million in Community Economic Development (CED) discretionary grant funds to Community Development Corporations (CDCs) to stimulate new CED project development through administrative capacity building. The objective of the CED Planning Grants is to stimulate new projects in underserved and under-resourced communities. Application Deadline: May 8, 2023.
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS) will solicit applications to award approximately $1.5 million in Community Economic Development (CED) discretionary grant funds to Community Development Corporations (CDCs) to stimulate new CED project development through administrative capacity building. The objective of the CED Planning Grants is to stimulate new projects in underserved and under resourced communities. Application Deadline: May 15, 2023.
The primary objective of the Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant program is to provide technical assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups through cooperatives and Cooperative Development Centers. Each fiscal year, applications are requested through a Notice published in the Federal Register and an announcement posted on Grants.gov. Application Deadline: May 16, 2023.
The Cultural and Community Resilience program supports community-based efforts to mitigate climate change and COVID-19 pandemic impacts, safeguard cultural resources, and foster cultural resilience through identifying, documenting, and/or collecting cultural heritage and community experience. Application Deadline: May 16, 2023.
DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations offers funding for entrepreneurs, university faculty, student groups, community organizations, tribal and local governments, financial institutions, industry professionals, and others with ideas to help organize or finance a clean energy demonstration project in a rural or remote area. Application Deadline: May 24, 2023.
The purpose of this program is to promote rural health care services outreach by improving and expanding delivery of health care services through comprehensive care coordination strategies in rural areas. Application Deadline: May 26, 2023.
The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program (CFI Program) is a new competitive grant program to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle charging and alternative fueling infrastructure in the places people live and work – urban and rural areas alike – in addition to along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs). Application Deadline: May 30, 2023.
The new Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking (EJ TCGM) Program is a competition to select multiple Grantmakers around the nation to reduce barriers to the federal grants application process communities face and increase the efficiency of the awards process for environmental justice grants. Grantmakers will design competitive application and submission processes, award environmental justice subgrants, implement a tracking and reporting system, provide resources and support to communities, all in collaboration with EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. Application Deadline: May 31, 2023.
The U.S. Department of Interior (DOI), National Park Service offers grants to states, and through states to local units of government and federally-recognized Indian tribes, for projects that will provide outdoor recreation opportunities to the public through the acquisition of lands and waters for parks and other outdoor recreation areas, as well as through the development of new, or the renovation of existing, outdoor recreation facilities. Application Deadline: May 31, 2023.
The Forest Service is making up to $1 billion available in Urban and Community Forestry competitive grants for investments that: increase equitable access to urban tree canopy and associated human health, environmental and economic benefits in disadvantaged communities; broaden community engagement in local urban forest planning; and improve community and urban forest resilience to climate change, pests and storm events through best management and maintenance practices. Application Deadline: June 1, 2023.
The WORC Initiative provides grant funds to enable impacted communities to develop local and regional workforce development solutions aligned with existing economic development strategies and community partnerships to promote new, sustainable job opportunities and long-term economic vitality. Application Deadline: June 5, 2023.
The Rural Housing Service (RHS) announced a notice of funding availability under its Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) program. The HPG program is a grant program which provides qualified public agencies, private nonprofit organizations, which may include but not be limited to, Faith-Based and Community Organizations, and other eligible entities grant funds to assist very low- and low-income homeowners in repairing and rehabilitating their homes in rural areas. In addition, the HPG program assists rental property owners and cooperative housing complexes in repairing and rehabilitating their units if they agree to make such units available to low- and very low-income persons. Application Deadline: June 5, 2023.
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program is designed to assist states, local governments, and Tribes in implementing strategies to reduce energy use, to reduce fossil fuel emissions, and to improve energy efficiency. See the EECBG Program Formula Grant Application Hub for more information. The Department of Energy is conducting a webinar to explain the design and application process of the EECBG Program Competitive Grant on May 15, 2023 at 2 p.m. Click here to join. Application Deadline: Local governments, state-recognized tribes, and teams can now submit concept papers as a first step to apply for the EECBG Competitive Program. Interested entities must submit concept papers to the Department of Energy (DOE) on June 5, 2023. Full Applications are due on Aug. 7, 2023.
Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grants support the development of comprehensive neighborhood revitalization plans which focus on directing resources to address three core goals: Housing, People and Neighborhood. To achieve these core goals, communities must develop and implement a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization strategy, or Transformation Plan. The Transformation Plan will become the guiding document for the revitalization of the public and/or assisted housing units while simultaneously directing the transformation of the surrounding neighborhood and positive outcomes for families. Application Deadline: June 6, 2023.
The purpose of the Pollution Prevention Grant: Environmental Justice in Communities is to provide technical assistance to businesses (e.g., information, training, expert advice) on source reduction, also known as pollution prevention (P2). Grantees must demonstrate that the project will improve human health and the environment in disadvantaged communities by implementing P2 approaches. P2 approaches can help businesses reduce the use and release of hazardous substances that can harm human health and the environment while also saving money by reducing their resource use, expenditures, waste and liability costs. Application Deadline: June 6, 2023.
Open Space Institute and the Land Trust Alliance are pleased to announce the 2023 Land and Climate Grant Program. The program aims to support and build the capacity of land trusts and other groups that conserve and steward land to integrate climate change into land protection and management decisions. The program will support the development of climate-informed land conservation, stewardship, policy, or communications plans that address one or more of the following issues: habitat resilience, carbon mitigation, renewable energy siting or community adaptation to climate impacts such as stronger storms, flooding, drought, fire or extreme heat. Nonprofit organizations and state or federally recognized tribes in the Eastern U.S. states of AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, KY, MA, MD, ME, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, TN, VT, VA, and WV are eligible to apply, while Land Trust Alliance member land trusts and affiliate state land trust associations nationwide are also eligible. Application Deadline: June 8, 2023.
The Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) announces funding under the Ethnic Community Self-Help (ECSH) Program. The goal of this program is to support Ethnic Community-Based Organizations (ECBOs) in providing refugee populations with critical integration services. Under the ECSH Program, the following three main objectives must be implemented: 1) to strengthen ECBOs’ provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services to refugees within five years after their initial resettlement; 2) to support ECBOs' organizational development and engagement in capacity building by encouraging their collaboration with established refugee service providers and mainstream organizations; and 3) to support ECBOs in promoting community building and civic engagement. Application Deadline: June 9, 2023.
The U.S Economic Development Administration’s STEM Talent Challenge aims to build STEM talent training systems to strengthen regional innovation economies. The FY23 STEM Talent Challenge will award a total of $4.5 million in grants to organizations that are creating and implementing STEM talent development strategies that complement their region’s innovation economy. Projects should aim to identify opportunities in high-growth potential sectors, and to expand and empower the innovation economy workforce. Application Deadline: June 12, 2023.
The Asphalt Art Initiative grant program is designed to fund visual art on roadways, pedestrian spaces, and public infrastructure in cities. Typically, the projects are painted murals, organized in collaboration between city governments and local communities. Register here for a virtual informational session that will be held on May 11, 2023 from 1-2 p.m. Application Deadline: June 12, 2023.
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Public Programs is accepting applications for the Digital Projects for the Public program. This program supports projects that interpret and analyze humanities content in primarily digital platforms and formats, such as websites, mobile applications and tours, interactive touch screens and kiosks, games, and virtual environments. Application Deadline: June 14, 2023.
The Community Connect program helps rural communities extend access where broadband service is least likely to be commercially available, but where it can make a tremendous difference in the quality of life for people and businesses. The projects funded by these grants help rural residents tap into the enormous potential of the Internet for jobs, education, healthcare, public safety, and community development. Application Deadline: June 20, 2023.
U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development (USDA-RD) will make grants to public bodies and private nonprofit corporations, (such as States, counties, cities, townships, and incorporated towns and villages, boroughs, authorities, districts, and Indian tribes on Federal and State reservations) to provide associations Technical Assistance and/or training with respect to essential community facilities programs. The Technical Assistance and/or training will assist communities, Indian Tribes, and Nonprofit Corporations to identify and plan for community facility needs that exist in their area. Once those needs have been identified, the Grantee can assist in identifying public and private resources to finance those identified community facility needs. Application Deadline: Paper submissions must be received June 20, 2023; electronic submissions must be received no later than June 30, 2023.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the acceptance of applications for Broadband Technical Assistance (BTA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. Broadband Technical Assistance provides competitive cooperative agreement funding to eligible entities to receive or deliver broadband technical assistance and training that promotes the expansion of broadband into rural areas. Examples of broadband technical assistance projects may include conducting feasibility studies, completing network designs, and developing broadband financial assistance applications. Application Deadline: June 20, 2023.
The purpose of the Pollution Prevention Grant: Environmental Justice Through Safer and more Sustainable Products is to provide pollution prevention (P2) technical assistance to businesses (e.g., information, training, expert advice) in order to improve human health and the environment in disadvantaged communities by increasing the supply, demand and use of safer and more sustainable products, such as those that are certified by EPA’s Safer Choice program, or those that conform to EPA’s Recommendations for Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing (Recommendations). Application Deadline: June 20, 2023.
The Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot (DCIP) Program is designed to address deficiencies in community infrastructure, supportive of a military installation, in order to enhance military value, installation resilience, and military family quality of life. The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) hosted an informational webinar on April 13 to review the goals and objectives of the Notice of Funding Opportunity and answer questions from interested respondents. Click here to view the webinar video and here for the webinar slides. Application Deadline: June 23, 2023.
The RTEPF Grant Program is a new program created as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will 1) study how ports and intermodal port transfer facilities would benefit from increased opportunities to reduce emissions at ports, including through the electrification of port operations, 2) study emerging technologies and strategies that may help reduce port-related emissions from idling trucks, and 3) coordinate and provide funding to test, evaluate, and deploy projects that reduce port-related emissions from idling trucks, including through the advancement of port electrification and improvements in efficiency, focusing on port operations, including heavy-duty commercial vehicles, and other related projects. Application Deadline: June 26, 2023.
The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) is an initiative designed to reduce the number of youth experiencing homelessness. The goal of the YHDP is to support selected communities, including rural, suburban, and urban areas across the United States, in the development and implementation of a coordinated community approach to preventing and ending youth homelessness. Additionally, HUD is committed to sharing the experience of YHDP communities and mobilizing communities around the country toward the same end. Click here for the grants.gov entry. Application Deadline: June 27, 2023.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) authorizes DOE to invest $1 billion in energy improvements in rural or remote areas. DOE’s Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) Program will provide financial investment, technical assistance, and other resources to advance clean energy demonstrations and energy solutions that are replicable and scalable. The ERA Program is managed by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), whose mission is to deliver clean energy technology demonstration projects at scale to accelerate deployment, market adoption, and the equitable transition to a decarbonized energy system. Application Deadline: June 28, 2023.
The program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing. Application Deadline: Open for FYs 2023 and 2024, Application windows - June 30, 2023; Sept. 30, 2023; Dec. 31, 2023; Mar. 31, 2023; June 30, 2024; and Sept. 30, 2024.
USDA Rural Development loan and grant program that provides zero-interest loans and grants to current and former eligible Rural Utilities Service borrowers to then use the funds to help local businesses finance projects to create and retain jobs or finance community facility projects. Application Deadline: to RD State Office on a quarterly basis - June 30, 2023.
USDA Rural Development program provides loans and grants to a non-profit entity, tribe or institution of higher education as a Microenterprise Development Organization (MDO) to establish revolving loan funds to provide loans to rural microloan borrowers and micro entrepreneurs. Application Deadline: to RD State Office on a quarterly basis - June 30, 2023.
USDA Rural Development program which provides low-interest loans to local lenders or “intermediaries” that re-lend the funds to businesses to improve economic conditions and create new opportunities in rural communities. Application Deadline: to RD State Office on a quarterly basis - June 30, 2023.
Peoples Bank has strong roots in the states that comprise our footprint – Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Washington D.C. and Maryland and it’s where our charitable giving is focused. In large and small communities alike, we assist organizations that are seeking to improve the quality of life for individuals and families. Foundation contributions are given to all segments of our community to foster a lasting impact and we continue to increase our support of local programs that help low- to moderate-income individuals and families. Application Deadline: June 30, 2023; September 30, 2023; and December 11, 2023.
Grants for Arts Projects is the NEA's largest grants program for organizations, providing comprehensive and expansive funding opportunities for communities. Through project-based funding, the program supports opportunities for public engagement with the arts and arts education, for the integration of the arts with strategies promoting the health and well-being of people and communities, and for the improvement of overall capacity and capabilities within the arts sector. Application Deadline: July 6, 2023.
The purpose of the DOL Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program is to fund public-private partnerships to develop, strengthen, and scale promising and evidence-based training models in H-1B industries and occupations critical to meeting the goals of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and to maximize the impact of these investments. Application Deadline: July 7, 2023.
The SS4A program funds regional, local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. The fiscal year (FY) 2023 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Safe Streets and Roads for All grants is live on Grants.gov and open for applications. Application Deadline: July 10, 2023.
The Sunny Awards is a prize competition that recognizes community solar project portfolios and state-, utility-, municipal-, tribal-, or territory-led programs that employ or develop best practices to increase equitable access to the meaningful benefits of community solar. These include low- to moderate-income household access, greater household savings, increased resilience, community ownership, and equitable workforce development and entrepreneurship. Click here to register for the informational webinar on May 9, 2023 at Noon. Application Deadline: July 14, 2023.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces the opportunity to apply for an estimated $1.5 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 discretionary grants under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The FAA awards these annually appropriated discretionary funds through the FAA’s long-standing iterative, competitive grant process. Prior to the publication of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the FAA identified eligible applicants in its National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) and compiled potentially eligible projects through the 3-year Airports Capital Improvement Plan (ACIP). The AIP funds airport capital improvements and rehabilitation projects. Application Deadline: July 14, 2023.
Developed by the U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Office (BTO), Buildings UP aims to build capacity to rapidly and equitably transform U.S. buildings. Teams will submit innovative concepts to leverage the billions of dollars available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), utility rebate programs, and many other funding sources, capitalizing on this once-in-a-generation opportunity to equitably transform a wide variety of buildings across diverse geographies. As teams progress through the prize, they will receive cash prizes and technical assistance to help bring their ideas to life. Upcoming Webinars:
Application Deadline: Phase 1 Concept Prize Submission due on July 18, 2023.
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Preservation and Access is accepting applications for the Humanities Collections and Reference Resources program. This program supports projects that provide an essential underpinning for scholarship, education, and public engagement in the humanities. It strengthens efforts to extend the reach of humanities collections and make their intellectual content widely accessible. Awards also support the creation of reference resources that facilitate the use of cultural materials, from works that provide basic information quickly to tools that synthesize and codify knowledge of a subject for in-depth investigation. Application Deadline: July 18, 2023.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), through anticipated cooperative agreements from the Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is pleased to announce the America the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC) 2023 Request for Proposals (RFP). The ATBC vision is to streamline grant funding opportunities for new voluntary conservation and restoration projects around the United States. This RFP consolidates funding from multiple federal agencies and the private sector to enable applicants to conceive and develop large-scale, locally led projects that address shared funder priorities spanning public and private lands. Application Deadline: Full Proposal due on July 20, 2023.
The primary goals of the WCPP are to save lives, prevent serious injuries, and protect motorists and wildlife by reducing WVCs, and improve habitat connectivity for terrestrial and aquatic species. Reduction of wildlife vehicle collisions and improvement of terrestrial and aquatic habitat connectivity are the primary merit criteria that will be used in reviewing applications, and each of the primary merit criteria are of equal importance. Application Deadline: Aug. 1, 2023.
The Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Discretionary Grant Program was established to help make surface transportation more resilient to natural hazards, including climate change, sea level rise, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters through support of planning activities, resilience improvements, community resilience and evacuation routes, and at-risk costal infrastructure. Application Deadline: Aug. 18, 2023.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) supports local Stand Down events that assist veterans experiencing homelessness by providing a wide range of employment, social, and health services. VETS awards these noncompetitive grants on a first-come, first-served basis to support one-day or multi-day events at up to $7,000 or $10,000, respectively. They are collaborative events coordinated between VA, DOL, other federal, state, and local government agencies and community-based organizations providing services and supplies to veterans experiencing and at risk of homelessness. In the event of a federal disaster declaration, VETS will accept applications up to $50,000 to conduct Stand Down events in the impacted areas. Application Deadline: Sept. 30, 2025.
This funding opportunity seeks applications for projects for the construction, expansion, or modernization of commercial facilities for the front- and back-end fabrication of leading-edge, current-generation, and mature-node semiconductors. Two additional funding opportunities—for materials and manufacturing equipment facilities, and for research and development facilities—will be announced later this year.
Statements of interest from all potential applicants will be accepted on a rolling basis beginning February 28, 2023. For potential applications for leading-edge facilities, pre-applications (optional) and full applications will be accepted on a rolling basis beginning March 31, 2023. For potential applications for current-generation, mature-node, and back-end production facilities, pre-applications (recommended) will be accepted on a rolling basis beginning May 1, 2023, and full applications will be accepted on a rolling basis beginning June 26, 2023. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
EDA supports bottom-up strategies that build on regional assets to spur economic growth and resiliency. EDA encourages its grantees throughout the country to develop initiatives that present new ideas and creative approaches to advance economic prosperity in distressed communities. Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), EDA intends to advance general economic development in accordance with EDA’s investment priorities, but also to pursue projects that, where practicable, incorporate specific priorities related to equity, workforce development, and climate change resiliency so that investments can benefit everyone for decades to come. Application Deadline: There are no application submission deadlines. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the publication of a new PWEAA NOFO, cancellation of this PWEAA NOFO, or all available funds have been expended. EDA intends to review applications expeditiously upon receipt of the complete application.
The Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) provides loans to rural utilities and other companies who provide energy efficiency loans to qualified consumers to implement durable cost-effective energy efficiency measures. Applications for this program will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis until the depletion of available funding.
This program helps eligible low-income communities plan and develop applications for proposed USDA Rural Development water or waste disposal projects. Application Deadline: Ongoing
This program provides grants to very-low and low-income homeowners to repair homes damaged in a Calendar Year (CY) 2022 Presidentially Declared Disaster Area. To determine eligibility, review the list of Presidentially Declared Disasters by State and County. This list is subject to change. Applications are available year-round as long as funding is available, and are processed in the order they are received. Contact a USDA home loan specialist.
This program helps eligible communities prepare, or recover from, an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water. Applications for this program are accepted year round, online through RD APPLY or through the local RD office.
The Economic Development Administration (EDA) has published the Fiscal Year 2021-2023 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Research and National Technical Assistance projects. This NOFO makes $1.5 million available for Research and Evaluation (R&E) projects and $1.0 million available for National Technical Assistance (NTA) projects. Application Deadline: There are no submission deadlines under this NOFO. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the termination of this NOFO or publication of a superseding RNTA NOFO.
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) offers this new Multi-State Funding for applicants to highlight partnerships across multiple states and provide a plan that showcases the economic impact of proposed project. Application Deadline: Accepted on a Rolling Basis.
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) offers three programs that promote digital inclusion and advance equity for all to ensure all communities have affordable access and can use the internet to improve their lives.
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State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program: A $60M formula grant program for states, territories and tribal governments to develop digital equity plans.
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State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program: A $1.44 billion formula grant program for states, territories, and tribal governments. It will fund an annual grant program for five years in support of digital equity projects and the implementation of digital equity plans.
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Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program: A $1.25 billion grant program. It will fund annual grant programs for five years to implement digital equity projects.
The State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program is currently open. The other two programs will open later. Download the Program Information Sheet.
The Local and Tribal Road Safety Mentoring, Assistance, Training, and Communication Help (MATCH) Program provides FREE, broad-based technical assistance to local and tribal agencies facing roadway safety challenges. The program connects agencies requesting assistance with volunteers who have specific expertise to help successfully address the identified challenges. Fill out and submit this form to request technical assistance. The form must be submitted by a public agency. Once the application form is submitted, the MATCH Coordinator will then contact the requestor to gather more information and determine the best approach for providing technical assistance.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and FedEx have teamed up to create the Small Business Readiness for Resiliency (R4R) Program. This program helps small businesses prepare for a disaster and offers immediate relief funding for those prepared businesses when a disaster strikes their region. More than 100 grants of $5,000 each are expected to be distributed between June 2022 and May 2023.
Virtual Living Room® is an Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) grant program that blends rural technology, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) resources, and local support to encourage veteran use of advanced medical technologies. Virtual Living Room® saves veterans travel time and costs while enabling connections to skilled physicians and other providers in the VA medical system such as telehealth and other online resources. Application Deadline: Ongoing.
Housing Assistance Council (HAC) provides short-term loans at below market interest rates to local nonprofits, for-profits, and government entities that are working to develop affordable housing for low-income, rural communities. Application Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
USDA Rural Development is seeking applications to implement projects supported by regional economic and community development planning to help the people of rural America build back better. Covered programs include Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program, Community Facilities Loan Guarantee Program, Water and Waste Disposal Direct Loan and Grant Program, Water and Waste Disposal Loan Guarantees, Rural Business Development Grants, and Community Connect Grants. Applicants must meet the requirements and deadlines under the covered programs.
This program provides funding to assist in the development of essential community facilities in rural communities with extreme unemployment and severe economic depression. An essential community facility is one that provides an essential service to the local community, is needed for the orderly development of the community, serves a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings. Application Deadline: Open.
USDA Seeks Applications to Support Regional Economic and Community
Development Planning to Help Rural People
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking applications to implement projects supported by regional economic and community development planning to help the people of rural America build back better. The 2018 Farm Bill authorized USDA to make this funding available under the Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) initiative. It can be used to implement projects that are supported by multi-jurisdictional and multi-sectoral strategic community investment plans. In fiscal year 2022, this funding is available under the following USDA Rural Development programs:
To be eligible for SECD reserved funding, applicants must meet the requirements and deadlines under the
covered programs. Applicants must also submit a Form 1980-88 to USDA. See additional requirements below.
For more information on requirements and deadlines under the covered programs, visit www.rd.usda.gov. For additional information on SECD funding, see page 57409 of the Oct. 15, 2021, Federal Register.
The Community Innovation (CI) grant program is a flexible program that invests in great ideas and the people who power them across our region. CI grants fund the most promising ideas, across issue areas that have the potential to make our region better for everyone. Through this program, the Bush Foundation aims to:
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Develop, test and spread great ideas: CI grants invest in efforts to develop and test ideas to solve problems and create opportunity, and then spread the best ideas across communities.
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Inspire, equip and connect leaders: Great ideas spread through people. CI grants invest in efforts to inspire, equip and connect leaders to more effectively lead change.
There is no application deadline for our Community Innovation grants — applications are accepted year-round. The Bush Foundation strongly suggests that all potential applicants schedule a call with the Bush Foundation team before putting together an application.
T-Mobile partnered with Smart Growth America and Main Street America, two consulting partners with a combined experience of over 60 years working to help build stronger, more prosperous small towns and rural communities. With our Hometown Grant program, we’re investing big in small towns by awarding up to 100 towns a year with project funding—up to $50,000 each. Applications will be open on a quarterly basis with the following schedule:
- Spring: Applications open January – March
- Summer: Applications open April – June
- Fall: Applications open July – September
- Winter: Applications open October – December
USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities Emergency Rural Health Care Grants are designed to help broaden access to COVID-19 testing and vaccines, rural health care services, and food assistance through food banks and food distribution facilities. Recovery Grants provide immediate relief to address the economic conditions arising from the COVID-19 emergency. Application Deadline: Until all funds are exhausted.
Community Response Projects are supported for up to $5,000 over a 6-month time frame and will be awarded to community-based organizations that provide supports to people with developmental disabilities who have been affected by a local, statewide, or national, natural disasters. This can include, but is not limited to, addressing concerns related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Community Response Project funding should be used to develop training or increase accessibility to information for individuals with developmental disabilities and their family members. This funding opportunity is year round/ongoing/rolling.
USDA Rural Development helps private lenders provide affordable financing to qualified borrowers to improve access to clean, reliable water and waste disposal systems in rural areas. Application Deadline: Ongoing.
USDA Rural Development loans and loan guarantees for the construction, maintenance, improvement, and expansion of telephone service and broadband in rural areas. Application Deadline: Ongoing.
The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more. The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price. The Affordable Connectivity Program is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.
The electric program makes insured loans and loan guarantees to nonprofit and cooperative associations, public bodies, and other utilities. Insured loans primarily finance the construction of electric distribution facilities in rural areas. The guaranteed loan program has been expanded and is now available to finance generation, transmission, and distribution facilities. The loans and loan guarantees finance the construction of electric distribution, transmission, and generation facilities, including system improvements and replacement required to furnish and improve electric service in rural areas, as well as demand side management, energy conservation programs, and on-grid and off-grid renewable energy systems. Application Deadline: Ongoing.
Who may apply? Most retail or power supply providers serving qualified rural areas, including:
- State and local governmental entities
- Federally recognized tribes
- Nonprofits including cooperatives and limited dividend or mutual associations
- For-profit businesses (must be a corporation or limited liability company)
This program helps very small, financially distressed rural communities with predevelopment feasibility studies, design and technical assistance on proposed water and waste disposal projects. Application Deadline: Ongoing.
Who may apply?
- Most state and local governmental entities
- Nonprofits
- Federally recognized tribes
The Emergency Collections Assessment for Preservation (CAP) program, an FAIC program supported under a cooperative agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, aims to support museums impacted by disasters. The goal of a CAP is to improve the care of collections for museums with limited resources. Two assessors, a collections care/conservation specialist and a building specialist, are selected by the affected museums. The assessors will provide specific guidance on prioritizing what actions will have the greatest impact for collections care. The Emergency CAP focuses on providing recommendations for assessing risk, improving impacted facilities, and other recovery strategies to help care for collections affected by an emergency incident.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and the assessments are completed on a timeline established by the requesting museum. Over a two-day site visit, the two assessors will evaluate what are the most immediate collections threats and later provide a report to the institution with their recommendations for moving forward. Institutions should apply as soon as they are able.
This program is available for U.S./Tribal/Territory museums of any size with at least one full time staff member or volunteer(s) totaling 40 hours per week. Collections must be made available to the public through exhibitions or research regularly. Larger institutions will receive a more narrowly focused report due to the amount of information that can be gathered during a two-day site visit. Museums interested in applying for an Emergency CAP should contact program staff at cap@culturalheritage.org or 202.750.3346.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC) Program is offering up to $2.5 million to provide tools and resources that integrate technology into all levels of society. The S&CC program is intended to bring increased levels of economic opportunity & growth, safety & security, health & wellness, accessibility & inclusivity, and overall quality of life to communities.
Competitive applicants should work alongside community stakeholders to identify and define challenges they are facing to establish research priorities. NSF highly encourages research that addresses fundamental technological and social science dimensions of smart and connected communities and considers the sustainability of the research outcomes beyond the life of the project.
All interested in conducting science & technology research and development are welcome to apply. No match is required. Applications for the Smart and Connected Communities program are rolling and will be awarded on a first-come basis.
USDA Rural Development partners with lenders to guarantee loans to help eligible entities expand meat and poultry processing capacity and finance other food supply chain infrastructure. Fact Sheet. Federal Register. Application Deadline: Until funds are exhausted.
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